How do you dress at your (corporate) job in 2024

[Tim5292]

Hi guys,

I started working for a huge company in the automotive sector in Europe by the end of last year. On my first day I wore a wool suit, dress shirt, oxfords, no tie and was completely overdressed. Most colleagues are wearing jeans/chinos and cotton pullovers/turtlenecks in combination with white sneakers or casual style boots. Also, some managers dress like that.

However I don't feel comfortable dressing like that. Our team is in regular contact with senior management, so I don't think this style is appropriate. I started experimenting by wearing more casual style suits with turtlenecks, wool trousers with turtlenecks or jeans with shirts and jackets. Also, Tricker's and boots like that instead of Oxfords. I also plan to switch formal overcoats for a suede Baracuta G9 or an Aero leather jacket as soon as it gets warmer.

My approach is to always dress down one part of my wardrobe, but never more than that: no jeans with pullover, but wool trousers/casual suit with turtleneck or jeans with a dress shirt and jacket. Always goodyear welted brogue boots/shoes.

I want to look "appropriate", but at the same time I don't want to look too overdressed. When I had my first internships 10 years ago it was easy because you had to wear a suit or at least business casual. Nowadays it seems like there are no rules and many people look kind of odd. Sure, 10 years ago there were enough people with ill fitting suits and shirts, but today these people wear jeans and t-shirts.

What is the situation at your office nowadays and how do you handle to fit in without looking either too casual on one side or overdessed on the other?

 

[KOz]

A lot of my colleagues wear jeans, t-shirts, hoodies and so on. I tend to wear soft tailoring on the most casual side possible - shoes in suede, rounder lasts, and storm welts, unstructured, more rugged jackets, flannel trousers or jeans. Ties are an absolute no-go.

I made peace knowing I'll stand out to some degree, but I just try to minimize it as much as possible for my taste.

 

[Jackx3]

I work in government relations a market HQ of a major tobacco company so we got all kinds of functions (marketing, sales, finance, legal, HR, etc.). As such, there is little to no coherence in terms of style, though in separate departments there is a semblance of a "collective style", i.e, marketing people do their streetwear thing.

I love my suits so I go with that as a standard. Absolutely with tie, feels naked without it. If I want to make it more casual I go for an olive cotton suit with either suede sneakers or boots (currently the latter as we are in sub-zero degrees) or something along those lines. Guess there's also a thing in trying to keep the classic image of the suit-wearing tobacco lobbyist, just fun.

Totally agree with the change as described by OP though, and it would be a lie to say it has not affected my style. I try, hopefully more successfully than a few years ago, to add casualwear to my wardrobe. This has had the result that I go to work in a gray suit, white shirt, regimental tie on day 1 and day 2 it's jeans, popover shirt and white sneakers. Kind of all over the place I realise when writing this.

 

[wozniak]

USA. I was promoted to a national executive (one step below VP) roll from a local technical leader. In my old role I would wear khakis/chinos and a dress shirt or polo, cheap dress shoes. I noticed one or two of my VP's wore blazers, or sports jackets. Its very rare anyone, even the CEO, wears a full suit and tie. So I stepped up my look (a bit) for business casual with my promotion. Also started buying made to measure shirts, jackets, good sweaters, and high quality GYW shoes. This video (and others like it) have informed my dress goals.